


Beyond repair

by LimoFatig



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Bisexual Harry Potter, Conversations, Draco Malfoy Needs a Hug, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Ministry of Magic (Harry Potter)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-29
Updated: 2020-11-29
Packaged: 2021-03-10 06:56:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,317
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27689276
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LimoFatig/pseuds/LimoFatig
Summary: Harry goes to the Ministy to see Draco, who is awaiting his trial.They look at each other.They talk.They fall in love.
Relationships: Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter
Kudos: 30





	Beyond repair

“I came to get you out of here”.

Malfoy looked at him like Harry had just said purple giraffes were in the building. So, he did not answer, but just kept looking at the Gryffindor, bemused. Harry felt the need to elaborate.

“Your trial is in a couple days and I plan to get you acquitted”, he précised.

“Why…?” Malfoy managed to get out in a muffled voice.

The former Slytherin prince seemed broken. He was detained in at the Ministry (not Azkaban, where he would head to if found guilty), he was well fed and in a private cell, so not bullied by adult Death eaters or other prisoners. Yet, he looked like he had aged 20 years in the last couple months. 

They were meeting in a little conference room near the cells and Harry had managed to get him alone. He knew a lot of powerful members of the Wizengamot would not agree to this meeting. They could want to hear the whole conversation or not let them talk at all. This could go south any second, so he had to make his point quick. He did not have time for Malfoy to be scared and sad.

“You saved my life Malfoy. Then your mother saved my life. Throughout all that a mad man lived in your house for months and convinced you that if you weren’t at his beck and call you would get tortured or killed or your parents would or whatever other mad things he’s threatened you with… You’re not a bad person Malfoy… you’re… a _survivor_ , just like I am.” He spoke most of that very quickly but slowed at the end to put emphasis on the fact that Malfoy had done nothing wrong, if maybe acting a little cowardly. But nobody should blame a sixteen-year-old for that. Malfoy should be at home, drinking posh tea in his posh pajamas with his annoying posh friends like any posh kid who went through major trauma.

“You saved my life as well. We’re even Potter. Don’t play the savior hero card with me, the last thing I need right now is your pity.” Malfoy hissed; his grey eyes fixed on the grey floor. He was dressed in white shirt and trousers that were about 3 sizes too big. He was indeed pitiful, but Harry was not about to tell him that. He took a large breath and said:

“I don’t pity you Malfoy. To be honest, I don’t give much of a shit about you, I’m just trying to do the right thing. You, rotting in here isn’t right.”

“And of course, _you_ are the expert on what is right, are you not Potter? The rest of us mere mortals should worship the very earth you walk on, shouldn’t we?” Malfoy spoke a little louder, still staring at the floor.

“Wow it’s like you _want_ me to leave you in here.” Harry laughed in a calm tone, shaking his head in disbelief.

“OF COURSE I DON’T WANT TO BE LEFT HERE!” Malfoy screamed, standing up swiftly, finally looking at those green eyes he hated so much.

“Then why are you being so difficult and mean? I just wanna help.” Harry tried to sound as nice as he could, since he could not understand what was going on in the other boy’s mind.

“I don’t want to owe you anything”, he shyly admitted, still but barely holding his gaze.

It took a second to Harry to really integrate what the blond boy had just said. When he had, the only logical reaction was to laugh. Loudly.

“You know what Malfoy? _Everybody_ owes me. I DIED that day. And then I came back to _kill_ the man who made all of us miserable. Do you seriously think I’m gonna go and ask people for things for the rest of my life because of that??” Harry asked genuinely.

Malfoy shrugged. “I would.”

“Well you _are_ an opportunistic Slytherin arsehole.” Harry smirked at him and Malfoy finally smiled, a little. Malfoy got angry at him for being nice and smiled at him being a jerk. Harry would have to ask Hermione about that. It didn't make any sense. 

Harry walked towards him and touched his forearm. “To be clear, that doesn’t mean I think you should rot here", he insisted cautiously. He could feel the need for Malfoy to jerk his arm off of his touch, but he didn't. Harry smiled, and backed off. It was a start.

“I came today in case they question us separately. To make sure we tell the exact same thing,” he explained, finally sitting down on the uncomfortable metal chair facing Malfoy.

“Wow, what a stupid plan. You really exceeded yourself this time, Potter”, he answered with a scowl.

Harry just frowned, like he was saying: ‘ _if you keep insulting me, I’ll leave you here to deal with your own shit.’_

Draco got the message so instead of replying something even more obnoxious, took a deep breath and hunched himself on the table, not unlike how you act when you need to explain something trivial to a 6 year old kid:

“Think for a minute, Potter. They will know we met. If we tell the exact same stories, they will know we arranged them during this very meeting, and all of what we will be saying won’t be usable as definitive proof that I am not a despicable bastard who needs to be put away for good. You shouldn’t have come.”

Harry obviously had not thought about that.

“Plus, we hate each other. It’s going to look so suspicious if you defend me out of the blue like that." 

“So what do you suggest?”

“Simple. You get out of here at once. At the trial, we both tell our versions of what happened honestly. That way it’s not going to sound rehearsed. I mean we were on opposite sides. Of course, our versions of what happened should sound and be a little different. Then I don’t know, come what may I guess.”

Malfoy had explained that last part with an ambiguous look in his eyes. In one way he sounded more of himself, more assured. In another, he sounded defeated, resigned, knowing their plan was not compelling enough for the Wizengamot.

"Come what may? Are you bloody serious? You're the most annoying detail-oriented brat in all of Britain. And all you have to say for yourself is "Come what may?"" Harry yelled, sitting back in his chair and moving his arms everywhere with big unfathomable eyes. 

Malfoy then looked at him with the same eyes he had when Harry had first opened the door of that small room earlier. Broken and so immensely tired. Malfoy had absolutely no fight left in him. None. The war had done so many victims among the green-eyed boy’s friends and family, he had never stopped himself to think further. This was bigger than him. It was about rebuilding the wizarding world. All of it.

Is every person that was on Voldemort’s side a bad person? Harry was not so sure anymore.

Malfoy had not killed Dumbledore.

Narcissa had saved his life.

A couple times, when the savior had been forced to watch Voldemort live through his nightmares, he could see death eaters around. Most of them were not murderous at first. All they wanted was make sure their traditions would not get lost in a sea of new wizarding families. Was it stupid? Yes. Dangerous? Well, looked what happened. But surely, with the crazy snake gone, they could talk to each other. Muggle-borns could prove that they are lot less powerful and are as useful as purebloods. The purebloods could voice what there are afraid to lose and compromises could be made. Yes, this could work.

Harry thought of Snape, whom he had hated so much. Sometimes even more than Voldemort himself. Snape who had switched sides and was also a broken man. Not unlike the stunning blond boy sitting in front of him.

Malfoy was the key. If Harry wanted to unify the whole British wizarding world, that was who he needed. If they could walk side by side in front of the press, showing a clear reconciliation, it could show everyone that nothing is beyond repair.

But the prick was is no shape to confront the Daily Prophet right now. He needed his brain rewired and his old self brought back. A new and nicer version of him would not do the trick. He had to come in front of the whole world and be a gigantic arsehole, and Harry needed to be standing by his side, accepting it. That was a way stronger message. ‘We accept each other. Exactly as we are. No matter what. No more carnage, no more death, no more division.’

But for all that to happen, the Slytherin prince needed to be shocked awake, if only to solidify their plan to get him out of that cell.

“I think there’s a spider on your chair.” Harry lied, trying to sound convincing and a little scared.

Malfoy stood slowly, not half as affected as Harry had hoped. “Really, I don’t see it”, he answered, turning around his chair to try and catch the invisible spider, and thus falling into Harry’s trap.

“You know Malfoy, it’s nice to see that even in those saggy trousers, you still have a fantastic arse. I mean bloody hell.” 

The blond boy froze. He did not move for 30 endless seconds. Then turned around and sat back on the chair. Slowly. His face was red, looking stunned, but also calculating. Harry could practically hear him pondering the implications of what he had just said. Rethinking their whole relationship.

In short, it was working. Malfoy was resurrecting before his very eyes. It was so beautiful to watch.

Harry was sitting cross-legged with his arms behind his head, waiting for the deliberation in the other’s man head to end, his own guard totally down.

Then, Malfoy’s eyes stopped moving. He smirked, then closed his eyes and shook his head. “You did that on purpose. You wanted to say something so insane I would be forced out of my funk.” He got up and walked to the nearest wall and leaned his forehead on it. “That might just be the meanest thing you’ve ever done to me. And may I remind you, you once sliced me open.” He turned around, leaned his body on the wall. “You’ll be glad to know I’m back Potter. Your plan worked flawlessly.” He was looking right at Harry, his eyes full of betrayal and hate.

“What do you want from me? The only reason you would risk appearing queer to get me out of here is because you need me. So tell me. Then I can make what you want happen as quickly as possible and never have to see your duplicitous face ever again.”

It was Harry’s turn to be stunned. He hadn’t expected that reaction at all. He just wanted the other boy to react violently and cursed at him or punch him in the face or something. But he obviously had hurt Malfoy’s feelings and he could not understand how or why.

“I never meant to hurt your feelings Malfoy, you’re right I wanted you out of your funk… I thought your reaction would be to try and break my nose again to be honest. The prom king usually doesn’t like to be chatted up by other blokes. I don’t know why I hurt you exactly, but I’m sorry. And I know it was a ruse, but I actually meant it” he blabbed, getting red in the face.

“Are you saying you’re queer Potter?” Malfoy queried, sitting back in the chair, trying to sound angry, but looking strangely hopeful.

Harry finally grasped on what was happening. He had flirted with Malfoy to wake him up. The Slytherin had liked it. Then realised it was not real and got mad. Malfoy fancied him. Romantically. The revelation made him go for the truth.

“Honestly, I don’t know. Never knew anyone who was. Never felt like a possibility for me. Like being gay it was something that happened to people in books or to muggles or whatever. Not to me. And I did hit on you and I liked that you liked it. It made me feel more alive that I have felt in months. And I do think you’re fit. I always have”, he tried to explain.

The grey-eyed boy closed his eyes again. He looked so young and vulnerable in that room, in those clothes, in that light. He gulped and without opened his eyes, said: “So if I get out of here, would you want to give this a shot? Dating a man? Dating me?”

Harry really pondered the question but answered quite rapidly: “Dating a bloke? Yeah why not? Dating you, I don’t know, you are quite difficult. And I still have no idea on how to convince the Wizengamot to let you go.”

Malfoy finally opened his eyes. He looked malicious and cunning and ready for battle. He was mesmerizing. He took Harry's breath away.

“Leave that to me Potter. I have a plan. Then we can go and convince the wizarding world that the nice Gryffindors and bad Slytherins can be friends. It will work. But you better not be messing with me and flirt with me just to make _your_ plan work. Cause if you are, I will curse your sorry arse into next week. Understood?”

Harry had absolutely no clue how Malfoy had guessed his plan so thoroughly. Maybe he was a powerful legilimens. Maybe he was actually capable of empathy. (The first one was way more likely). He decided to let it go and simply nodded.

“Now, let’s get me out of here and more importantly, out of these horrid trousers.” 

**Author's Note:**

> “Never cease loving a person, and never give up hope for him, for even the prodigal son who had fallen most low, could still be saved; the bitterest enemy and also he who was your friend could again be your friend; love that has grown cold can kindle.”  
> Kierkegaard


End file.
